Novum Pinot Noir 2020/23, Marlborough

Dark and brooding, with traditional plum, cherry and earthy spice characters. The palate is complex and meaty, with vibrant fruit core and savoury bay leaf notes. A serious Pinot Noir, with great textural interest.

Novum is the brainchild of Will and Rachel Hoare. Will’s wine career had a bumpy start, when he was kicked out of school for selling wine to his fellow students (we’d call it entrepreneurial), but since then it’s been more of a success story. He started on the bottling line at Cloudy Bay, but worked his way into the cellar, and did vintages at Au Bon Climat with Jim Clenenden. On returning to Marlborough he worked at Fromm, then the only winery focusing on single vineyards and respecting the soil. He came for a year and left as General Manager, 19 years later.Novum has a simple philosophy – great fruit makes great wine. They buy small parcels of grapes from established vineyards in special sites to make the very best wine they can. Of his focus on small plots, Will says: “Most producers think in terms of vineyards. We think in terms of small parcels within vineyards. Soil types and even aspect can vary considerably even in a seemingly homogenous vineyard. There are always ‘sweet spots’ that consistently produce better grapes than all the rest. That’s what we’re after.” Will’s experience and wide network of grower contacts in Marlborough puts him in a unique position to access this fruit. “Growers always know what part of their vineyard produces the best results. They are excited by the prospect of making a small batch of very special wine, which will hopefully become a source of great pride.” We are very excited to introduce Novum to our portfolio; these are distinct wines that deserve to be on everyone’s radar.

These vineyards are certified organic and have high density planting, with a mix
of UCD and Dijon clones. Grapes are handpicked, destemmed and undergo a cold soak (about 5 days) before indigenous fermentation takes place in small stainless-steel vats. The wine is pumped over 2-3 times a day during active ferment and then spends 35+ days on skins post-fermentation to elongate the tannins. The wine ages in French barriques (30% new) for 1 year. The wine is bottle unfiltered and unfined.